Unit notes and practice questions
Everything here is for unit 2 of the Grade 9 Geography textbook: what the chapter covers, the short notes, practice questions with their answers, and the lesson video where one exists.
The cards filed under this chapter on the Grade 9 Geography page. Open one at a time.
| Altitude (m) | Traditional Name | Global Equivalence | Mean Annual Temp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wurch / Kur | Alpine / Afro-Alpine | ||
| Dega | Temperate | ||
| Woina Dega | Subtropical | ||
| Kolla | Tropical | ||
| Bereha | Desert |
When you use it
Use when identifying traditional Ethiopian climatic zones based on altitude and mean annual temperature.
Watch out
Kolla spans 500 to 1500 m and Bereha lies below 500 m. Do not reverse their boundaries.
Drafted from Grade 9 Geography, pages 37-59, then checked twice before it went up
When you use it
Use when determining the name of a prevailing wind from its direction of motion.
Watch out
Wind is always named after the direction it blows FROM, not the direction it blows toward. A wind blowing from west to east is a westerly wind, not an easterly wind.
Drafted from Grade 9 Geography, pages 37-59, then checked twice before it went up
| Climatic Element | Measuring Instrument | Standard Unit / Scale |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | Thermometer | |
| Rainfall | Rain gauge | |
| Air pressure | Barometer | |
| Wind speed | Anemometer | |
| Wind direction | Wind vane | Compass points |
When you use it
Use when identifying the proper instrument and units used to measure specific weather and climate elements.
Watch out
Anemometer measures wind speed while wind vane detects wind direction. Do not confuse their functions.
Drafted from Grade 9 Geography, pages 37-59, then checked twice before it went up
10 multiple-choice questions written against this chapter, each with its answer and the reason. Try one before you open the answer.
Question 1
What is the main difference between weather and climate?
Answer: A Weather is observed over a short period of time, while climate is a pattern over a long period of time.
Why
According to the textbook, weather refers to atmospheric conditions observed over a short period of time (varying from hour to hour or day to day), whereas climate is the pattern of weather conditions experienced over a long period of time.
Question 2
Which meteorological instrument is used to measure wind speed?
Answer: B Anemometer
Why
Wind speed is measured using an anemometer, while a wind vane is used for wind direction, a barometer for air pressure, and a rain gauge for precipitation.
Question 3
Which traditional agro-climatic zone in Ethiopia is found at an altitude of 3,300 meters and above?
Answer: D Wurch
Why
The Wurch (or Kur) zone corresponds to the Alpine or Afro-Alpine zone and is found at altitudes of 3,300 meters and above with mean annual temperatures below 10°C.
Question 4
Which two factors are the dominant controls of climate in Ethiopia?
Answer: A Altitude and latitude
Why
The textbook explicitly notes that the climate of Ethiopia is dominantly controlled by altitude and latitude.
Question 5
Addis Ababa and Awash both lie along latitude 9°N. However, Awash has an average annual temperature of 25°C while Addis Ababa has an average of 16°C. What explains this difference?
Answer: A Awash is located at a much lower altitude than Addis Ababa.
Why
Even though both towns share the same latitude (9°N), altitude modifies temperature. Awash is at 916 meters above sea level, while Addis Ababa is at 2,200 meters above sea level. Temperature decreases as altitude increases.
Question 6
Historically, which combination of factors made the Dega agro-climatic zone attractive for dense human settlement in Ethiopia?
Answer: B Secure defensive locations, reliable rainfall, and absence of malaria
Why
People settled heavily in the Dega zone because of its secure location for defense, reliable rainfall, and absence of tropical diseases such as malaria.
Question 7
In June, when the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shifts to the Tropic of Cancer, which winds bring moisture to the Ethiopian highlands?
Answer: B Equatorial Westerlies and Easterlies
Why
In June, when the ITCZ moves to the Tropic of Cancer, Ethiopia comes under the influence of moisture-laden Equatorial Westerlies and Easterlies originating from water bodies.
Question 8
Towns such as Metu, Gore, and Bonga are in the year-round rainfall region of Ethiopia. What is the main moisture source for this region?
Answer: B Equatorial Westerlies picking up moisture from the Atlantic Ocean
Why
The southwestern plateau receives high year-round rainfall due to the dominance of the Equatorial Westerlies wind system, which picks up moisture from the Atlantic Ocean.
Question 9
A meteorologist in Gondar records a daily maximum temperature of 28°C and a daily minimum temperature of 14°C. What is the daily (diurnal) range of temperature for that day?
Answer: A 14°C
Why
The daily (diurnal) range of temperature is calculated by finding the difference between the daily maximum and daily minimum temperature: 28°C - 14°C = 14°C.
Question 10
Which rainfall region includes stations such as Gode, Moyale, and Jigjiga, receiving moisture from the Indian Ocean when the Northeasterlies and Equatorial Westerlies are weak?
Answer: C Autumn-and-spring rainfall region
Why
The autumn-and-spring rainfall region covers the southeastern highlands and lowlands (including Gode, Moyale, and Jigjiga), receiving rainfall from the Equatorial Easterlies originating over the Indian Ocean.
The app holds 12 questions on this unit, marked as you go. These are the first 10.
Unit 2 runs from page 37 to page 59 of the Ministry of Education edition.
Ministry of Education edition, English, 247 pages
Temari turns this chapter into timed practice and marks it as you go, with an AI tutor to explain anything that did not land.
Start free
Temari.et is also an Android app, free on Google Play.
